Lewis Hamilton wants to turn the page on his difficulties at Ferrari, but his desire to reduce the simulator time after Miami is already raising questions, with Jenson Button considering this tool indispensable to return to the top.
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The arrival of Lewis Hamilton at Ferrari had caused huge excitement in the paddock, but the seven-time world champion’s first season with the Italian team quickly turned into a headache. Between adaptation difficulties, lack of performance, and technical misunderstandings, the Briton experienced several extremely challenging weekends.
After Miami, Hamilton had explained that he was considering distancing himself from the simulator, convinced that certain directions taken during virtual sessions had led him in the wrong direction regarding settings.
Despite this, the British driver now seems much more serene than he was during his debut in Maranello. His former teammate at McLaren, Jenson Button, even believes he sees a transformed Hamilton since the start of this new season.
“Lewis joining Ferrari was extremely exciting last year, but it has been a very difficult season for him, Button explained. It was logical after leaving a team with which he had spent a lot of time and won several world championships.”
Jenson Button warns Hamilton
For Button, the Ferrari environment represents a challenge much more complex than a simple team change. The 2009 world champion notably highlights the cultural and organizational differences Hamilton has had to face since his arrival in Italy.
“He joins a completely different team, Italian, where his teammates speak Italian and he does not, the Briton recalled. But this year, from the start, he seems much more confident in himself and with the people he works with.”
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However, despite this visible progress, Button does not share Hamilton’s desire to move away from the simulator. According to him, even if this tool can sometimes mislead drivers, it remains indispensable in modern Formula 1.
“Sometimes, you can get lost in the simulator and go in the wrong direction regarding settings, Button admitted. But you still have to continue this work. It is an essential part of the homework a driver must do off the track.”
Montreal, a turning point for Hamilton?
The next meeting at the Gilles-Villeneuve circuit could precisely allow Hamilton to completely relaunch his momentum. The Canadian track remains one of the favorite playgrounds of the Ferrari driver, who already shares the record for wins in Montreal.
Button also expects to see a particularly motivated Hamilton this weekend.
“I think Lewis will arrive in Montreal with a lot of confidence, he assured. We want to see Ferrari at the front and we want to see Lewis fighting for wins, especially on a circuit he loves so much.”
For Ferrari, this Grand Prix could thus represent a key moment of the season, as the Italian team still tries to reduce the gap with Mercedes and other title contenders.
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